This week, toys can pay off a parking ticket

For a limited time, the city of Boston is accepting a new form of payment for parking tickets: Cabbage Patch Kids, Morphibians, even Mega Bloks.

To help boost donations to the Marines Corps Toys for Tots campaign, city officials are allowing parking scofflaws to settle their debts with toys of equal or greater value than their tickets. A sales receipt is required for proof of value.

Marcia Harris of Cambridge arrived at City Hall yesterday with stuffed animals, a yo-yo, and other toys to pay off her $36 violation for an expired meter. She said the meter maid handed her a piece of paper with her notice, and told her it described an alternative way to pay it. ''This was much better," she said. ''I would spend 2-for-1, I think this is such a great idea."